Question : Well, we got our first kid-noise complaint today. My downstairs neighbor wrote: I can hear your son running back and forth, back and forth. I can pretty much hear everything down here. Its a bit much, especially at 7:30 AM. "

Studies show that women still do more household chores than their partner, including childcare and maintenance. Some call it the invisible workload; others refer to it as the household gender gap or the second shift. Interesting data can be found elsewhere (like this 2016 Huffington Post article) and PSP members have plenty of anecdotal evidence. PSP members alsohave useful tips and advice about how they distributed childcare tasks. This article divulges their most intimate words of wisdom about sharing the workload with your parent - with a focus on feeding, sleeping, and taking care of the little one in the middle of the night.

With a few simple steps, rules and preparation, home exchanges and subletting can be a really positive experience. As a renter, housing exchanges can offer you the comforts of being in a home and provide your family with plenty of space and amenities. And as a host, you can even make some money from renting out your home to visitors.

With fall comes spectucular autumn folliage. Nothing beats the sound of leaves crunching under our feet. Sadly, New York City streets just can't handle all of it. The leaves, as lovely as they are, clog gutters & drains (especially if you sweep leaves down 'em). And what happens then? Flooding in your apartment. Plus, when leaves pile up it is impossible for street cleaners to do their job. And what happens then? We are left with dirty streets.

- Have the kids lay down in the leaves or buried in the leaves. (For older subjects take photos from head to toe to avoid double chins!)

- Kids don't have to be in fall colors-- other colors such as blue and green "pop."

- Photograph during sunrise or sunset for the best light and color.

- Photograph outdoors when your shadow is longer than you are, usually in the afternoon (Today near the 9th Street Playground the sun was going behind the buildings around 4:00)

- Take photos with the sun coming through the leaves but use a tree trunk or something else so so there's no direct light going into your lens.

- If you are taking portraits, consider turning on your flash to get both the leaf color AND your kids faces. Okay, it's a bit 80s, but use the sun to backlight your hair from behind (using a flash to light up your face-- but stand back so the flash isn't too stark. Lay on the ground with your subject above you so you get the leaves and tree limbs as part of the background. (Double check that there's not a big limb as a horn).

Okay-- more techy stuff:

- Use a Polarizing lens if you've got one.

- Underexpose your shots slightly

- Use portrait mode to blur the background.

- Use your macro setting to shoot close shots of light shining through the leaf with the veins showing through.

- Use a short depth of field in order to blur the leaves and JUST get the color while keeping the person in focus.

FINALLY-- Go with another family and swap taking a family portrait-- it's good to have the WHOLE bunch of you. And Moms-- make sure to get photos of yourself!

While owning a car in New York City has many advantages, one of its disadvantage is parking - and dealing with alternative street parking, especially when you gone for a long period of time and won't be around to move it. What do you do? Here are PSP member tips for parking while on vacation.

"A few months ago we bought some rice in bulk and ended up with moths too. Even after throwing out the bag, and combing through the rest of our food to make sure there weren't any more infestations, we still have moths flying around our kitchen. Does anyone have ideas for a surefire (and not too toxic) way to get rid of them?"

Bed bugs have infested hotels, movie theaters, public transportation, schools, dorms, etc., etc. They also are showing up in the apparel in retail stores, likely brought in from overseas in the original shipment. The bugs are hitchhikers and frequently lay eggs on, or find their way into, clothing, luggage and furniture. Note: to protect yourself entirely from bed bug exposure is practically impossible, but there are many efforts that can significantly reduce your chances of bringing them into your home.

Sleep training your child can be an anxious experience in itself. This anxiety is emphasized in New York, where many parents get nervous about upsetting their neighbors with their crying baby in the early hours of the morning. What can you do to keep the peace with your neighbors?

When Benjamin Franklin said nothing is certain but death and taxes - he had no idea about the problems and headaches of cable and internet bills. This article is a summary of PSP member deliberation and discussion about Time Warner Cable (TWC), Leaf, Netflix, Apple TV, FiOS, and more…

"Does anyone have a tip on how to divvy up household chores and duties?" was a simple question that resulted in a truely PSP-style way: a lively and engaging discussion about egalitarian households, gender dynamics, work/life balance, and more.

Know what you're getting when you hire a photographer. Some photographers don't include the price of your digital image in their session rate? Some people will give you all the digital negatives, others only a few. Here are some things to think about as you hire a photographer.

Moving can be a stressful time. But if you take steps to familiarize yourself with the way it is regulated and what rights and responsibilities you have, you'll likely have a much smoother move. Here are some things to think about as you prepare for your move.

Need some tips for making the transition with kids run more smoothly? Check out our Moving with Kids article.

Here are useful links to bookmark and have handy as you prepare your move. We've got advice about the logistics of moving with small kids, what to tip movers, the differences of small vs. large moves, how to get your security deposit back, bed bugs (ugh), and more!

A parent asks: "I'm looking for successful strategies for limiting device time. How do you set clear, enforceable limits without too much resistance, arguing or stress? I have a 10 year old who is predictably addicted to her new iphone. I'd be grateful for any advice."

Did your child get a new laptop, smartphone, or other electronic device? This is a good time to educate your child about safety surrounding their device - both online and in the real world. This is also a good opportunity to consider a technology agreement (PSP provides you with one!). This is also a good time to think about your family's policy surrounding social media.

Yes, there are Raccoons in Brooklyn! However cute they may be, they can be a nuisance when they forage in your trash, nest in your roof, or sneak into your kitchen. Here are tips from your PSP neighbors!

Radiator covers are your responsibility as a parent (not the landlord's). How do you make sure kids don't touch the radiators or pipes? You can either purchase covers (price ranges from $150 - $500) or fabric pads (e.g., Rad Pads, $50-$100), have covers especially made (see PSP recommendations of people who can make them for you), or some of the less costly alternatives given by PSP members::